Back in July of this year, Microsoft revealed that they were killing off the TechNet Subscription service which provided IT professionals access to the latest Microsoft software for an annual fee. The reason behind the company doing this is because more and more people are using the service for its free offerings, not paid. Now, Microsoft has responded to consumer feedback and has offered a free, 90 day extension.
“In response to customer feedback, we’re giving active subscribers additional time to prepare for the TechNet Subscriptions retirement with a free, one-time, 90 day subscription extension. Eligible subscribers may continue to access product downloads, use professional support calls*, and get priority support in TechNet Forums through their updated expiration date, which can be found on the My Account page of the TechNet Subscriptions benefits portal,” Microsoft stated in an official blog post.
Three extra months to enjoy being a TechNet subscriber.
Developers and consumers who utilized TechNet to snag the latest and greatest from Microsoft took it to Change.org to petition Microsoft to bring back TechNet. The petition failed to pick up steam but it seems that Microsoft will listen, to a certain extent.
Microsoft will offer a free, 90 day subscription extension to TechNet subscribers who are active as of September 1st 2013, and who’s subscription is set to expire on or before September 30th, 2014. You must have not been granted though the Volume Licensing program.
“As TechNet Subscriptions customers begin to transition to the free evaluation resources Microsoft provides, we’re improving the TechNet Evaluation Center by making prior versions of products available for trial. Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and others are available now. We will add additional products over time,” Microsoft explains.
While a 90 day extension doesn’t bring back TechNet, it does keep subscribers happy for a little while longer. As a TechNet subscriber, are you happy with this extension? Hit the source link below to learn more about this.
